1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin dispensing apparatus and more particularly, to a coin dispensing apparatus capable of dispensing coins one by one while moving coins in conjunction with rotation of a rotary disk, by using a guide member for guiding the coins moved along a circular carrying path along with the rotating disk toward a dispensing opening.
The term “coin” used in this specification contains not only coins as currency but also tokens such as medals or the like as a substitute of coins.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the first prior art technique for the present invention, a coin dispensing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 8-180231 published in 1996 is known. With this prior-art coin dispensing apparatus, a lot of coins stored at random in a coin storing bowl are moved in conjunction with rotation of a rotary disk placed in a bottom hole of the coin storing bowl and then, the coins thus moved are guided in a radial direction of the disk with a guide pin formed to protrude from a base; finally, the coins thus guided are ejected by an ejecting device toward a coin outlet one by one. To prevent excessive payout, the rotation of the rotary disk is stopped suddenly after a predetermined number of the coins are dispensed in accordance with the amount to be paid out. (See Paragraph 0002.)
As the second prior art technique for the present invention, a coin ejecting technique disclosed in Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication No. 2006-537876 published in 2006 is known. With this prior-art technique, coins in conjunction with rotation of a rotary disk are ejected with a guide pin provided to be capable of elastic rocking motion one by one. (See FIGS. 5 to 9 and Paragraphs 0007 to 0025.)
In recent years, there is the need to increase the speed of dispensing changes of coins in a coin dispensing apparatus. To answer this need, the rotation speed of the rotary disk has ever been increased.
In the event of dispensing of change, it is impermissible to dispense coins excessively. Therefore, with the above-described first prior-art coin dispensing apparatus, the rotation of the rotary disk is stopped abruptly after a predetermined number of the coins are dispensed, thereby preventing excessive payout. However, in the case where the rotation of the rotary disk is abruptly stopped in this way, inertial forces of the rotary disk and its related parts will be large. As a result, there arises an anxiety that the durability of the coin dispensing apparatus degrades.
In addition, with the above-described second prior-art technique where the coins are ejected using the guide pin, all the coins moved in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary disk are ejected. Thus, the coins are unable to be ejected selectively. In this way, with the second prior-art technique also, excessive payout is prevented by abruptly stopping the rotation of the rotary disk and accordingly, there arises an anxiety that the durability of the coin dispensing apparatus degrades similar to the first prior-art technique.